Nick Nelson/Grand Forks Herald Minot’s Sidney Ressler returning a serve during the 2023 Girls Tennis State Tournament at Choice Health and Fitness in Grand Forks.

GRAND FORKS – Sidney Ressler won pivotal matches at No. 3 singles to help Minot win its first state team title in girls’ tennis since 2018. On Friday, her wins in the state singles tournament leave her on the brink of an individual title as well.

Ressler, the West three seed, defeated Kate Hinschberger of Grand Forks Red River in straight sets, 6-1, 6-4 to open her tournament. In the quarterfinals, she knocked of Shanley’s Madeline Abbott, again in straight sets, 6-3, 6-1.

The Minot junior advances to a semifinal matchup with Mandan’s Sophia Felderman. Felderman made the semifinals after blanking Ressler’s teammate Kyllie Fettig, 6-0, 6-0.

Ressler wasn’t the only Majette to enjoy success in the first round of the tournament. All three Minot singles players advanced to the quarterfinals with victories. Fettig downed Wahpeton’s Liz Comings, 6-3, 6-0 and Halle Mattson knocked off Lizzie Hardie, of Fargo North, 6-0, 6-1.

The championship quarterfinals would be a different story for the Majettes. Aside from Ressler’s win, Minot struggled with both Fettig and Mattson dropping matches in straight sets. Fettig failed to win a game, while Mattson fell 6-1, 6-1 to Paige McCormick of Fargo Davies.

Both Fettig and Mattson would find success in the consolation third round and put the two teammates on course to a potential fifth-place matchup against each other. Fettig defeated Bismark’s Peyton Kovash, 6-4, 7-5, while Mattson beat Kellan Taragos, of Fargo North, 6-2, 6-0.

Fettig will face off this morning against Legacy’s Cambrya Kraft, whom she beat 6-0, 6-1 in the team finals. Mattson will face off against West Fargo Sheyenne’s Alyssa Sommerfield at the same time. If both are victorious, the two will battle each other in the fifth-place match.

The lone Minot doubles team of Sienna Ronning and Grace Olson got off to a rocky start, falling to Valley City’s Kailee Nielsen and Georgia Zaun in straight sets, 6-4, 6-2, before settling down in the consolation bracket. The duo defeated Bismark’s Megan Richter and Jami Bachmeier, 6-1, 6-4. They stayed alive in the consolation quarterfinals, winning a three-setter over Grand Fork Red River’s Farrah Spice and Addison Lommen, 6-2, 4-6, 6-2.

Awaiting Ronning and Olson in the consolation semifinals are Grand Forks Central’s Madi Stauss and Magdalene Spicer.